Numbers Queen: A QUIX Book

by Margery Cuyler, Stacy Curtis (Illustrator)

Overview

A second-grade math whiz uses her beloved numbers to get herself out of trouble and ace a class project in this first book in the Addy McBean series—part of the Aladdin QUIX line!

Addy McBean, a second grader at PS #8, is up to her eyebrows (two) in myriad (lots) adventures. She’s never met a number she hasn’t liked! When she’s paired with Willard—a classmate who’s not exactly her favorite—for a math project, Addy has to figure out a way to juggle Willard, numbers, and finishing the project!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534489561
Publisher:	Aladdin
Publication date:	07/23/2024
Series:	Addy McBean , #1
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Margery Cuyler has written stories ever since she learned how to write. A children’s book editor and author for more than twenty years, she now devotes most of her time to writing. Her many children's books include 100th Day Worries, illustrated by Arthur Howard, and The Biggest, Best Snowman, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand. Margery lives with her family in Princeton, New Jersey, in a house that’s said to be haunted by a ghost!

Stacy Curtis is the illustrator of The 7 Habits of Happy Kids series by Sean Covey and the Once Upon a Tim series by bestselling author Stuart Gibbs. He lives with his wife and dog in Oak Lawn, Illinois.

Read an Excerpt

1 Countabunga!

 

  Addy McBean lives with Mom and their poodle, Minus, at 100 Division Drive, South Summit, New Jersey. Addy is nuts about her address because she’s nuts about numbers.

  She loves math just like Dad, who is a coding genius. He lives and works in San Francisco—2,887 miles away. Addy’s parents are divorced, but she texts her dad all the time on her smart watch.

  Addy to Dad:

  I am minus one workbook, one Rubik’s Cube, and one toothbrush.

  Dad to Addy:

  I bet you ten dollars that Minus took them.

  Look under your bed.

  Sure enough, when Addy pushes aside three pairs of socks and one box of dominoes, she finds them.

   

  Countabunga! That is Addy’s favorite expression.

  She says it when she’s excited.

  Addy likes to count things in their condo. She counts her footsteps when she walks Minus and the cornflakes in the cereal box. She also counts the books on the floor around her mom’s bed.

  Addy’s mother is a librarian at the South Summit Public Library. She brings home great books for Addy to read.

  After school on Monday the doorbell rings while Addy is feeding Minus.

  She looks out the window and sees Star Atlas. Star lives only two blocks away, and they’ve been best friends forever. Addy thinks it’s funny that Star’s last name is Atlas since Star likes maps. She even has a globe in her bedroom that lights up.

   

  Star’s eyes are flashing alarm when Addy opens the door.

  She rushes into the hallway.

  “What’s wrong?” asks Addy.

  “You can’t believe what Mom just told me!” exclaims Star.

   

  Ms. Atlas works in the principal’s office at PS 8. She finds things out before they happen.

  “It’s about Mr. Vertex,” Star blurts out. “Tomorrow he’s assigning an important math project. He wants us to work with new partners. That means we’ll have to split up!”

  Addy’s heart skips three beats.

  “But we are a one-plus-one team,” she says.

  “I know,” says Star. “Remember the pumpkin catapult we made for our Halloween project?”

  “And that picture we drew of how we’ll look at one hundred years old? It was a big hit on Hundredth Day,” says Addy. “Maybe Mr. Vertex will change his mind.”

  “I doubt it,” answers Star. “My mom says Mr. Vertex wants his students to work with different people.” Star walks toward the front door. “I can’t stay. Dad’s waiting to help me with my homework.”

  During dinner Addy tells Mom about Mr. Vertex’s plan.

  “That’s too bad,” says Mom. “But maybe you’ll get a new partner who likes math as much as you do.”

  Addy is still a wreck. What if she ends up with someone who hates math? Or with one of the boys who call her Beanpole?

  When she goes to bed, she counts by tens to one hundred, since that usually helps her fall asleep.

  But not tonight. Addy can’t stop thinking about what will happen at school the next day.

Editorial Reviews

06/24/2024

Math features prominently—and playfully—in this zippy series launch by Cuyler (The Little Fire Truck) about juggling family, friends, and the second grade. Appropriately named eight-year-old Addy McBean is “nuts about numbers.” She counts her steps when she walks her poodle Minus, loves texting math jokes to her coding-whiz father, and says “Countabunga!” when she’s excited. But Addy’s favorite formula for fun at school—partnering with her best friend Star—is derailed when their teacher Mr. Vertex decides to mix and match teams of classmates for a big math project. Things get even more unbalanced when Addy is paired with Willard, who doesn’t like math. As Addy and Willard brainstorm ideas and navigate potential disaster, readers are treated to information about 3D shapes and the solar system—and Addy realizes she may have underestimated her new partner. Supportive parents and teachers as well as sympathetic classmates provide a gentle balance to Addy’s high energy. Language detailing numerical concepts peppers the action, and Addy’s relatable experiences will keep readers engaged, whether or not they enjoy math. Sketchy b&w illustrations by Curtis (the Once upon a Tim series) feature throughout; character skin tones match the hue of the page. Ages 5–8. (July)

Publishers Weekly